Lanvin's Alber Elbaz Shows Us 5 Good Ways To Stand Out In A Crowd

Between the moody French jazz soundtrack, handsome tuxed waiters, the sweet sound of breaking champagne glasses and guests furiously fanning themselves to battle the stifling heat, the Lanvin pre-show vibe was straight out of the club scenes in Midnight in Paris. Although not completely ideal (a group sweat isn't the chicest, outside a sauna) the mood made sense: Alber Elbaz's seductive pencil skirts, decadent jewels and irrepressibly glamorous Grecian gowns have always been tailor made for the best party you've never been to.*Now, "Paris Golden Age, circa 1920" isn't the only comparison to make for the show's sauna-like setting. Just think: A crowded gathering, in a poorly ventilated space populated almost exclusively with scantily clad ladies, half drunk glasses, suggestive looks and a killer soundtrack. Ring any bells? Sounds like a dance floor to me! Our intrepid photographer, Mark Leibowitz, ventured backstage to shoot the dimly lit show and returned with these moody photos--proof that these pieces can make a major statement, no matter the time, place or light level. If you've got a party on the horizon and need to make a good first impression, here are a few spotlight-stealing style moves to pick up from Lanvin's spring 2012 show:

Come Cinderella hour, some serious glitz is the only accessory you need.

Forget about dainty little chains or bracelets that could blow away in the breeze. The big, sewn-on stuff is where it's at. Alber Elbaz experimented with more glitz than usual this season, applying oversize crystals in the shape of a snake that writhed around the body or topping off a little black dress with a thick collar of sparkle. As these models walked down the runway, light bounced everywhere, as if sprinkling fairy dust into the crowds. Just think of what kind of drama strobe light could produce on these sexy little numbers, or any LBD topped off with an oversize choker.

In case the crystal = good vibe wasn't come across clearly enough, this look drives that message home. Miraculously this outfit idea works because it doesn't go halfway: instead of just one sparkly necklace on a sparkly dress, there are * 17*. Might as well go full-throttle fashion when you're going out, right?

Make something sheer look demure by going for a knee-length cut and skipping accessories.

There's nothing scandalous about Alber Elbaz except for the fact that you want to scream with happiness when you see how he turns silk into liquid. Every cut--from the thigh-flashing pencil skirt to the sculpted asymmetrical blouse--always comes across as prim and proper thanks to the smart hemlines and necklines, including these see-through dresses. In something like this, you can play the part of wallflower until Katy Perry's TGIF comes on and you bust out some Footloose-quality moves.

__Sexy stuff, right ladies? Would you wear any of these looks out and about? Which one is your favorite? Any other Lanvin fans in the house?

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And by you, I mean all of us. Looking at a Lanvin dress is like looking George Clooney or Ryan Gosling: you know you'll never be so lucky as to have a one-on-one interaction with them, but still, it just makes you happy to stop and stare every so often.